Change of Heart
by FoxKid1302
Summary: WARNING: Slash, smut. TigerClaw/Leo. Take place after The Wrath of Tiger Claw. Long on-shot with open ending. Read at your own risk.


The sound of the alarm setting in place was like music to my ear. It was a rough day even for myself and I did not need any more trouble now. Usually I would put my weapons away properly for maintenance, but I was exhausted. Yes, even a tiger can be drained. They are not animal built for endurance. The only way I could go through the endless missions and carry out the Shredder's orders was my mutation. The human part was something that can be trained for it. But now I was spent. I tossed everything on the couch. There was more pressing matter for me to attend to.

It was fortunate that I found a place of my own, away from the Foot stronghold and away from Oroku Saki's watchful eye. I served him, yet I served him not. A mercenary slash assassin's loyalty could only be measured by the amount of payment he received. And he did not pay for my loyalty very much.

Collecting some needed items, I headed to my bedroom. There was not much, but I had a suitable accommodation. I turned the lock once more before pressing a button on my belt. The bed creaked as it was lifted off the floor, revealing the secret entrance. I must find lubricant for the hydraulic system later, the noise was getting on my last nerve.

I kept reminding myself to install the heating system for the cell. Yet the missions the Shredder piled upon me always pulled me away from it. The young turtle was shivering slightly in the blanket when I saw him. I set everything aside next to us before scooping him up in my arms, placing a kiss on his forehead.

 _"Tadaima."_ I rubbed on his cold arms.

 _"Okairinasai."_ He rested his head on my neck.

The wound on his legs had closed halfway already. My knowledge regarding our mutation was limited, but I knew enough that it contributed to the healing process. The turtle buried his face into my chest now, seeking the warmth that only I could provide. It was a pity that I could not release him, otherwise he would find a way to escape. We were still enemies at the end.

"How are you feeling today?" I asked.

"Better... if I'm not chained." Leonardo replied, with less sarcasm than usual. Instead, I heard sadness in his voice.

If it was under different circumstance, the youngling and I might be good acquaintances. He was raised well, too well compared to me. It was all thanked to him that we both survived our last battle...

 _One month ago..._

 _It was all a mess. The Shredder had broke up his alliance with the Kraang due to some disputes. The Purple Dragon had gotten out of control recently, and the turtles only further infuriating my employer. Fate played a trick on us all by having us battle in an abandoned construction site. Leonardo went after me when I had my hand full with Kraang droids and some street punks. None of us paid much attention to our surrounding, only when we slipped into a deep hole that I realized my mistake. Something hit my head from the back and everything when black._

 _I did not know how long did I lose consciousness, but I hated it every time I had to close my eye. Returning from Dimension X left me with enough nightmares to last nine lifetimes. Sometimes visions of that chaotic madness even danced before my wide-open eye. That was why I wanted to take revenge on the turtles and their rat master. They were the ones driving me to that worm's belly. They were the ones responsible for my endless battles to return._

 _My mind drifted back to reality with a searing pain, and the sound of fabric being ripped. My shoulder was dislocated, and the youngling was sitting not too far from me, tearing out what seemed to be his belt._

 _"Don't move." He stated simply, pulling the strips apart._

 _He walked toward me with the torn fabric. I reached for my weapons, only to find that I was stripped clean. I bared my fangs and claws:_

 _"What do you think you are doing, kid?"_

 _"What does it look like? I'll reset your shoulder, then bandage it up."_

 _I held my position as he slowly knelt down, gently lifting my now useless arm._

 _"This is gonna hurt."_

 _That was the only warning before he pulled hard on my arm, making me roar in pain. I swung my claws at him, but he kicked it away while still holding on to my shoulder. I thrashed around, losing what little control I had left in the agony. Fragments of madness in Dimension X once more swam behind my eyelid. But the turtle was having none of it. He quickly wrapped the belt around my shoulder and tightened it before I could lash out any further._

 _"Stop struggling! I'm trying to help you!" He spoke through gritted teeth. For a youngling, he was unbelievably strong._

 _"I did not ask for your help!" I barked._

 _"Fine! I'm done anyway!"_

 _With that, he released me. The bandage had been tied neatly around my shoulder, forming a sling to steady it. He backed off a little, but not completely retreated away from me. The pain had been excruciating, but now it had subsided. Blobs of light still flashed in my eye, nonetheless. I glanced at a gleaming spot at a corner behind him, noticing one of his katana lying in the heap of my arsenal._

 _"Why are you doing this? Why did you not finish me?"_

 _"My sensei taught me better than that." He replied, his eyes following my movements "Unless you have a way to call for the Foot, we're trapped here."_

 _He held up his communication device, broken beyond repair. I dug my hand into my pocket, pulling out my cell, growling to see it snapped in half._

 _"There has to be a way out of here." I struggled to my feet, sniffing around._

 _"Don't bother, I checked. When we fell the whole building collapsed on us. All the rocks here are too heavy for me, and you only have one useful arm."_

 _What happened next was surely beyond his recognition. I pivoted around to kick him, sending him to the opposite wall. I followed up with a punch that send hole to the boulder next to his head. My face was inches from his, red filled my eye:_

 _"Do not assume that I am crippled just because I only have one arm." I said, remarkably calm "You should finish me when you had the chance."_

 _"You're not going to kill me."_

 _His voice stilled me, clearing the fog in my head. The little cub who had yet to taste the real world in full was looking directly into my eye without fear. And he dared to conclude that I would not rip his throat out right this instant._

 _"Master Splinter told me. In a way it was thanked to you that he had the chance to defend himself against the Shredder. You are not without honor. I saved you, and now you are honor bound."_

 _Had I not resisted in time, a laugh would have escaped me. He was beyond naive._

 _"I can tear you apart right here and now, cub." I gripped his throat, pulling him closer "You did not save me. All you did was wrapping up my arm, which I can do myself. The only reason I have yet to do so was because I wish to save it until I had all four of you. I then will exact my revenge."_

 _I dropped him to collect my gear, discarding the guns that still emitting smoke, then went back on searching. The rocks had us both encased in a tight dome, but I could smell fresh air. It was somewhere beyond this wall. I narrowed my remaining eye as I focused, then gave the rock a punch. It exploded into debris at my feet, revealing another boulder behind. I spoke over my shoulder:_

 _"Do you see now, youngling? I am capable of taking care of myself. Your effort was in vain. As soon as we are out of here, I shall deliver your corpse to my master."_

 _"Then I will fight you right at that moment." He had collected his katana._

 _"Why not now then?" I asked, a smirk actually crept to my face._

 _"Because you're the only one who can punch our way out of this. I still need you."_

 _"HA! Such opportunist! And what makes you think you can defeat me?" I barked a laugh. "I can simply knock you out before digging my way out."_

 _"Simple: I have to get back to my family. I will do anything so I can see them again." He jerked his head in defiance "And good luck dragging me along with only one good arm. Who knows how deep we're in."_

 _There was a certain confidence in his words. A confidence that trod very close on the border of arrogance. But his eyes shone none of it. The steel in his voice somehow silenced me. It was ridiculous, an assassin got intimidated by a rookie._

 _"Do not mock me. You're merely a child." I punched another rock to pieces. "Try coming at me however you wish. I'll be ready."_

 _"I will, and the name's Leonardo. Remember that."_

 _..._

I awoke as he shifted in my lap, snoring without a care in the world. I must have been more tired than I thought. I had dozed off for half an hour.

"Wake up, Leonardo. I brought dinner." I nuzzled him. "How can you just fall asleep like this?"

"Hhmm, warm..." The cub rubbed at his eyes, then shying away from my wet nose. "Your whiskers tickle."

I felt my heart took wing at the sight. He was cute beyond word. How could a child like him captivate me, I had not a slightest clue. The only thing I knew was to bring the tray of food, now starting to get cold, for him so we could replenish ourselves. We both ate in silent, with him sitting in my lap. Occasionally Leonardo would lean his carapace against my chest, taking in the warmth I'm more than content to give.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" I turned his face around after he put down the milk glass "Do not waste food. I hate it."

Darting my tongue out, I licked clean the white beard on his lips. He only glanced at me with a soft smile. Sneaky kid, he always did that on purpose to tease me. But then, something was different this time. He did not turn away after I finished, instead he leaned in closer, looking up at me with hooded eyes. Before I knew it, I was leaning in as well, mesmerized by those sky blue orbs. Our lips touched.

The barbs on my tongue grazed along his teeth, brushing against his own. I felt the youngling shudder in my embrace, tilting his head. He was hungry for more, and I found myself unable to deny him. How could I when I myself could not contain my own feelings?

 _..._

 _We were digging our way out of the wreckage, which had cleared out a little. I did most of the work though, the cub was tagging along at his leisure. Punching through the rocks did not wear me out at the least, and I could always force him to do my bidding. But the fact that he let me retrieve my weapons and voiced his resolution intrigued me. My first impression about Leonardo did him little justice now. He had become stronger, and I was interested as to how far he had traveled._

 _The youngling kept his word as well as his distance. I could feel his ki poised behind me like a little tiger practicing its pouncing. If I had to put it, I'd say it was rather amusing. Part of me was curious as to see how he would escape from me the moment we're free._

 _Coiling my hand for another punch, I froze as another flood of images from that insane place drown me. My head felt like it would burst any second. In the abyss, I did not know how long I stood there like a statue, but a voice suddenly pierced through the darkness to reach my consciousness._

 _"Look out!"_

 _I spun around to see the turtle leaping at me. Swiping for my sword on pure reflex, I raised it up but he was faster. I was caught by surprised when he pushed me away, right when a chunk of concrete collapsed on him._

 _"Leonardo!" I screamed his name out of nowhere as he was blocked from my sight._

 _Flipping the stones away as if they were made of foam, I saw the youngling flat on his plastron. His arms still outstretched when he tried to shove me. Stream of blood trickled down his head. He just lied there, not moving._

 _"Ahoga! I told you I can take care of myself!" I cursed, lifting the chunk that weighted his legs down._

 _Should I know it sooner, I would have been more careful. The moment I lifted it, the turtle's body was dragged along. The copper smell of blood hit my nostrils, and my ears picked up the distinctive sound of flesh being torn, but I ignored them. Heaving the concrete aside, I froze at the sight: Leonardo's leg had a long, nasty gash on the calf. His life force oozed profusely from it. Looking back, I saw various steel poles protruding from the piece I just moved, one of them still dripping with the youngling's blood._

 _"Kuso!"_

 _Flipping open the belt pouches, I quickly pulled out my bandage and gauze. I had no idea why I was doing this, but I was performing first aid for my enemy. Fortunately, no bone was broken, but the muscles inside were no doubt a mess. The large wound soon dyed all the white fabric I carried in dark red, yet I still could not stitch it back with one clumsy hand and a throbbing head. Yanking the scarf from my neck, I pressed on the wound as gentle as I could manage. It soon turned crimson too as I tied it hastily around the torn flesh. Scooping him up in my good arm, I swallowed the pain on my shoulder as I flung him over it. Focusing once more, I continued punching our way out. The dripping blood constantly reminded me that we're running out of time..._

 _..._

Our kiss was ended with hesitation. Leonardo was young. Too young and innocent for this. I did not wish to engage in this kind of relationship. Our current one on two sides of the battlefield was complicated enough. I felt like a pedophile. I could see my confusion reflected back from those crystal sapphires of his irises.

"What's wrong, Takeru-san?"

My everything almost melted with the name he called me, my real name, along with the confused look he's been giving. Pathetic! An assassin got involved in a romance relationship with his sworn enemy, and a male child, no less. I knew all that, yet somehow all resistance seemed to abandon me the moment he stepped into my heart and took resident there.

"I... I've got something for you."

It was a poor attempt to hide my embarrassment, but it was the best I could come up with. I reached behind me for a lollipop, something I snatched from a candy store on my way back thinking about him.

"It's Children's Day today, is it not?" I mumbled, holding out the treat while avoiding his eyes.

There was a short moment of awkward silence, then Leonardo suddenly burst out laughing. His voice washed over me like rain in spring.

"What's so funny?" I asked, feeling even more embarrassed now.

"I'm actually sixteen, just for you to know." He held a hand over his lips to stifle the giggle.

Now it went from simple embarrassment to downright humiliation. I could feel my face heat up and redden. Clenching my fangs, I was about to put the lollipop away when soft green hands took it from my paw.

"Thank you, Takeru-san." The youngling snuggled to my chest "It was... sweet."

"A turtle can live for more than a hundred years." I argued, wrapping my arms around him "Sixteen is still like a cub to me."

"We're mutants. It doesn't count." He countered, resting his hands on my face now.

Leonardo was looking at me in the eye, but he kept drifting to the left, where the patch was. I stayed still as he's finally drawn to it. He hesitantly touched it, knowing that I could lash out at anyone touching it, but I did not this time. His shoulders slowly sagged:

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. It was not your fault." I replied mechanically.

"If only we didn't have that fight, if we didn't have to fight at all..." He trailed off, speaking for both of us. I did not wish for this either, but our choices were always limited. He looked up again "Does it hurt?"

I gently shook. The pain was somewhere far in the past already.

"... May I?" He reached up again, hovering over the patch.

I felt my lips curled back on instinct, but I nodded. He slowly lifted the piece to reveal the void that was once my vision, pulling it over my head through the hole in my ear. He put the patch down still locking eye with me, the scar marring my face drawing him even closer. Leonardo was cupping my face now, and the tension left me faster than a breeze. Without a word, we both closed our eyes and leaned in again...

 _..._

 _I kicked the door to my hideout open without a slightest usual grace, shutting down the alarm with a punch. The youngling's skin was losing its color. I threw him on the couch and went for the medic kit. I managed to stitch the wound close with great effort. My fur was drench in sweat after I'm done, both from exhaustion and pain. Why did it turn out this way? Why did I bring him here instead of the Foot headquarter? The Shredder would think of using him to force his family out, no doubt. So then, why..._

 _I narrowed my eye at his prone form. All those questions in my head were only to avoid the largest one of them all: Why did I see nothing when he was close? On the entire road back to my hideout, my nostrils were constantly assaulted with his smell, and the ache in my head slowly faded away into non-existent. I had to concentrate at all time to push back the horrid memory of Dimension X, but with him near, I realized that I did not have to. What was this?_

 _No. I was simply side-tracked. The turtle was nothing more than another tool for me to use. The moment I delivered the corpses of his family and those he held dear to the Shredder, I would finally be able to sleep._

 _Swinging him on my shoulder, I headed for the cell below my bed. Quickly stripped him clean of his weapon and clothing, I made sure that there's nothing he could use to free himself before chaining his ankle. I had acquired a priceless hostage, and I would not hesitate to use him._

 _A trip to the bathroom, a huge slice of meat and a glass of skimmed milk sated my turbulence self. It was a long battle with the Foot's enemies and now I wanted nothing more than a good rest. I did not bother with casual clothing, since my fur was enough to warm me through the night, but I knew it could not protect me from the nightmares that awaited behind my closed eye..._

 _..._

There was pain on his features, and so was mine when we parted lips. We both knew that we only delayed the inevitable. Everyday he stayed with me was another day away from his family, and I feared I could not keep him a secret from the Shredder for much longer. Reports coming in had informed him of the missing turtle in blue, and he no doubt had had his suspicion. It was fortunate that this main target was Hamato Yoshi, now Splinter, that he entrusted me the task of retrieving the boy. Imagine what would happen if both sides knew about this...

"Takeru..."

There's no "-san" anymore. Leonardo was looking at me as an equal. For someone of his tender age, his soul was too old.

"It doesn't have to be this way..."

"I wish I could say the same, child. But..." We've had this conversation before. I knew what he's going to say next and did not want to hear it, but he cut me off before I could.

"You know what? You're as stubborn as my brother Raphael." His brows knitted together. "The Shredder has no honor. Serve him and yours will be lost too. Come with us. We'll free Ka... Miwa together, then I'll help you find a place of your own here."

I went through hell being raised to become an assassin, then came the agonizing mutation to become what I was today. All my life I knew nothing beside the art of killing. It was only with him that I found the lost humanity within me. If life could be so easily changed, I would not hesitate to accept his offer. But my whole career brought me many acquaintances, some I refused to engage with the turtles... with him. Served under the Shredder, I could ensure his safety, despite standing on the other side of the battle.

I reached for the shackles, inserting the key. Leonardo had tried many times to steal it from me without success, and I admired his determination. But not tonight. It all had to end sooner or later.

"What are you doing?" He breathed as his ankle was freed.

"I'm returning you to your family. I cannot have you worrying about them any longer. I'm also tired of engaging them. Every time I trade blow with your brothers, all I see is you."

Cradling his face in my paws, I pressed our foreheads together.

"I repeat this for the last time: Until my contract with the Shredder ends, we can be nothing more than enemies. However, I will continue eluding him from you. I will do everything within my ability to protect you from him."

He gently shoved me back, his eyes on flame.

"Then I swear to you: I will defeat the Shredder, first to rid my master from his past, second to erase a villain from this city. After that, will you come with me?"

"When the moment came, you know I have to defend him against you as he commands." I stared at the love of my life, knowing the pain I'd have to inflict on him in the future.

"Then I'll become stronger, enough to defeat you and him." He reached behind my neck "I won't rest until we're together... _Aishiteru_ , Takeru."

I could not wait for him to finish, diving for his lips to silence him. He was beyond help, and so was I. So be it. If we were destined to face each other one day, then I must have something of him to remember...

 _..._

 _I woke up to find my room spinning around me. It hadn't been two hours since I went to sleep. The nightmare haunting me showed no sign of yielding. I was tempted to leave everything for instincts. A true tiger would not bother with dream and thoughts. The only thing it has to know is to hunt, to fight, and to mate. Shaking to clear my head, I got up to check on the turtle. If all were in my favor, his family would fall straight into my trap without me lifting a finger._

 _I opened the cell to find him trembling on the floor. Of course, since he had no cover to shield him from the stone floor. But then, his skin had a shade of leaf green, not pale gray like this. My feet brought me to his side faster than I realized. He was sweating, yet his skin felt like ice. The wound! I ripped the bandage off with my claws, pulling along a string of yellow mucus. How could it get infected so fast? If he died then all my effort would be for nothing._

 _Rushing for the medic kit, I stopped short to retrieve the only two towels in my possession and some water. The antibiotic seemed to help, but he was still shivering so much his whole body shook. I wiped him from the sweat, then dip the water to his dried lips, replenishing him. Leonardo pulled away from the wet towels turning cold, but he was so weak he could not resist, and the trembling just wouldn't stop._

 _There's nothing I could cover him with. The towels were all drenched, and I had no blanket. Furiously, I rubbed on his arms and leg, hoping to warm him up. No effect. His limbs felt like wool in my hands, and he's still shivering. Cringing, I scooped him up, feeling his sweat soaked into my fur. Leonardo did not seem to realize who was holding him, reaching out for the warmth in my body, and I let him. Whatever worked was fine by me. I cradled him in my lap, wrapping my arms and legs around him, carefully avoiding the wound. He snuggled closer, and his presence once more enveloped me. The smell, it felt so soothing._

 _I closed my eye taking in his scent. The spark of his ki was weak, but somehow it pushed back the dreadful feeling of insanity. Before I knew it, I fell asleep holding him. A dreamless night was rewarded to me. It ended all too quickly as I felt something jerked out of my arms. I snapped my eye open to see Leonardo with his arms outstretched on my chest, my naked chest._

 _"What are you doing?" He panted, still exhausted from the cold._

 _"You had an infection." I rose to my feet, jerking my head toward his leg. Now I was also aware that I had nothing on me. "I have no blanket, so I used what available."_

 _He stared me up and down, his eyes raked over my naked body. I was sure he did not believe any of my word, for my crude appearance obviously betrayed it. But then, he just turned away, flushing:_

 _"Just... put something on."_

 _"Ironic, coming from a turtle who's practically naked all the time." I huffed, walking away before he could say anything._

 _I was not an exhibitor, that I was sure. There's only me in this hideout, I had nothing to hide, so the thought of dressing up never crossed my mind unless going out on mission. My private area, thankfully, was similar to a real tiger, retractable at will into a pouch inside. That's one more reason I felt less embarrassed around the youngling. Besides, I did not have the luxury time to dress while he's freezing in his illness. However, the way he looked at me... could it be...?_

 _..._

I eased us both down on the blanket, our eyes never left each other. I could see those sky-blue orbs mirrored my own desire. No word was needed. He lifted his hands up to remove my shirt with slow, steady movement, over my head. I could hear his breath hitched as his hand rested on my fur, tracing each scar with visible admiration. It's warm, so warm for a cold blooded creature such as him. I wanted him. All of him. As close as possible. Our kissed heated the need, bodies pressed together fueled the buried flame. I had never held anyone dear, yet here I was, loving him, needing him more than I dared to admit. I reached for my scarf but he caught my wrist in a haste grasp:

"Keep it on... please?" He added shyly. "I like to see you with it."

I gulped. He was pushing my self-control to the limit. It was all I could do not to pin him right under me and take him. I had hurt him enough with this relationship. If anything, I wished for him to enjoy our moment together to the fullest. Probing myself up with one arm, I aided his shaking hands to remove my pants. He trailed behind to drag the cap down, his hand brushing at my tail... or what's left of it. He held the cut appendage gently, and I could not help myself a slight shiver.

All felines are proud of their tail, and I was no exception. I still remembered the moment my mentor, also my torturer, cut it off to subdue me, and I vowed that no one could ever lay a finger on it again. Yet, I did not have the strength to growl at the youngling beneath me, let alone attack him. Somehow, he knew about my pain, and the way his hand stroking at it felt soothing to me. I kicked off the confine of my cloth so that we're finally free of our restriction. No border separated our bodies, our souls. Leonardo buckled his hip up, grinding our lower regions together, as did I. Hands roamed over soft fur and hard shell, pulling ourselves as close as flesh would allow it. My loved one, my dear Leonardo. So young, so small, yet so strong...

Gradually, we're both aware of our growing arousal. His leaf green hand traced down to my groin, and I unsheathed myself for him to explore as he wished. The way his eyes slightly widened, his pupils dilated were more than enough to show that we wasn't far behind. I did the same for him as I gently pressed my paw between his leg. I've always wondered how a reptile penis look like. Now that he's ready to show me, I could not help but feel a bit excited and nervous at the same time.

With a loud sigh, Leonardo released himself out. His private member slid from between two scutes of his lowest plastron into my palm, slick with fluid and throbbing. He pushed me back a little so we could marvel at each other. Rubbing a thumb over the small barbs on my cock, he pulled a purr from my throat before I could stop it.

"I thought only cat do that?" He chuckled, ghosting his finger on my pointy tip.

"All feline does." I chuckled.

Carefully tucked my claws in, I moved my hand up and down his shaft, His lips parted letting out small puff of breath and a squeaky sound vibrated through his body. I arched my brows at him, but he just shrugged.

"It's a churr, like cat purring."

"Does that mean you're feeling content?" I nudged my wet nose at his neck, and he reached up to scratched behind my ear.

"I'm more than content, Takeru. I'm... happy. Are you?"

I could not answer him right away. Both his hands at my member and my ear rendered me speechless. Aaaah, yeeees. He did tell me that his family had a pet cat made of ice-cream. He had to know how to please a big cat such as myself. But I was the one with more experience.

Darting my tongue out, I lapped at his skin. My paws were so soft to heighten his senses in this bliss, but the barbs on my tongue were more than make up for it. The way he's trembling, yet yearning for my touch was proof of that. I released his cock, pulling his hand from mine so I could pressed them together. We both gasped, letting out more of the happy sounds of our species.

"Ta-Takeru..." Leonardo's voice pierced through the haze clouding my mind "Will you... take me?"

My eye snapped open to meet his. I thought misheard him. But the look on his face told me otherwise...

 _..._

 _Having other people around me did not stop the traumatize memory from surging before. Yet, just knowing that the youngling was near soothed my mind in ways I failed to comprehend. He was my hostage, and this was another bonus to it. However, the moment his family fell into my paw, he would no longer be useful. Oroku Saki wanted them. He wanted them all, especially Splinter. Perhaps... I could use it as a bargaining chip. He would be satisfied with the life of the rat, then I would have the turtle for myself, both as trophy and remedy..._

 _"Hey!"_

 _I must have lost in my thoughts, for the youngling in question was staring at me in slight confusion. The leaf in my hand still hovered in front of his face._

 _"Are you alright?" He asked again._

 _"Nothing." I denied a bit too quickly "Will you eat this or not?"_

 _"You spaced out for a full minute there, I don't think it's 'nothing'." The youngling carefully said._

 _"It is none of your business." I dropped the leaf along with the dish in my hand in front of him. "Eat! I am not your nurse."_

 _As I turned to walk away from him, he rattled against the chain, but otherwise did not touch the dish._

 _"I can't eat this."_

 _"What?" I growled._

 _"I'm a turtle, not a deer. I don't eat leaves."_

 _"It's cabbage." I argued._

 _"I'm an omnivorous turtle." He rolled his eyes "I need more than that to live. I know I'm your hostage, but you can at least treat me better."_

 _Before he could utter another word, my paws was already wrapped around his throat._

 _"You are in no condition make demands." I hissed to his face "You should be grateful that I feed you anything at all."_

 _"I'll starve to death" He struggled in my grip, but otherwise making no further attempt to counter "Then you'll lose your hostage and my family will be after you."_

 _This cub should thank his ancestors, for I stopped myself in time from crushing this wind pipe. How could he be so arrogant in such condition?_

 _"Look. I know you know close to nothing about turtle caring." He softened all of a sudden. "But you already had it in you to save me. You just need some pointer to keep me alive before giving me to the Shredder."_

 _"Allow me to translate then." I smirked, knowing full well what he had in mind. "You want me to keep you healthy so you can break free when you have the chance. Is that correct?"_

 _"I'm not going to be your hostage. I won't endanger my family." He looked me directly in the eye, his sky-blue orbs ablaze._

 _Again with that confidence. It's hard to distinguish whether he genuinely believed in his skills or he's simply a fool. I admitted that I was curious to see how he would escape from me in his condition, and at one point I actually considered releasing him so he could battle me. But now was not the time._

 _"Master Shredder just called." I pivoted sharply "Behave until I come back... And finish your meal."_

 _With that, I locked the cell._

 _..._

Easing myself down his plastron, I took in every scar on his body. Leonardo was only a young ninja, yet he was covered by many battle marks. I traced my hand over three faded lines on his side. It was I who gave it to him, but I regretted not. We were enemies back then, like now we still were. It's only natural for this to happen. But now was not the time to dwell on it. His quickened breaths and his slicking skin urged me to mate with him. I aligned my head and his erection at eye level, the distinctive aroma of Leonardo hit me full force. This would be the scent I'd take with me to the afterlife, and I wanted more than just that.

Nuzzling my wet nose along the shaft, the youngling erupted more of that pleasant sound under my touch. My tongue on the turtlehood made him whimper so much I almost felt sorry for him. His juice was salty, a bit bitter, but overall deliciously sweet. Could not hold back no longer, I swallowed him whole, rolling his erection to avoid my fangs. His entire body went rigid all of a sudden, a choked cry escaped his lips at he exploded. I did not expect him to climax that fast. His few early shots went straight down my throat, but I held back not to gag and clamp my jaw on him. The barbs on my tongue were coated with his essence, rewarding me with his exotic taste. I felt numbed. Numbed with something far from pain and madness. It was... ecstatic...

The limp of his body woke me from my trance. I looked up to see him straining his neck to meet my eye, a blissful smile grace his feature. Leonardo weakly held up his hand, and I climbed up so he could stroke me by the ear.

"It is your first time, is it not?"

"No... I... I've played with myself before..." He spoke between breaths, still high from his orgasm.

"But you have yet to feel something real, _sa-ai_." I purred to where his ear was supposed to be. "I can take you there..."

His eyes darted between my legs, where my cock was dangling just above his deflating one.

"The barbs are smaller than a real tiger. I will not hurt you." I caressed his cheek in assurance. He slowly nodded.

I looked down at my erection, then up to his shivering tail. He had put it down to reveal his entrance to me, pulling his legs up and wide. Now that I had a look at his... cloaca, I realized that I was bigger than expected, and he needed to be stretched before anything. It was our first, and probably last time, yet I was careless not to prepare any sort of lubricant. But then, Leonardo pointed at the butter on the food tray:

"Can I... prep myself?"

I handed him the dairy product without a word, my eye locked on his fingers swiping the butter to coat at his entrance. My body went perfectly still as he pushed in, as if I was the one breaching him. The length of his finger soon disappeared inside, and I could have sworn I saw it curved and moved behind the hole.

Breaking my gaze for a bit, I looked up to see my love biting his lips, his face flustered. His other hand had gone for his turtlehood, pumping it slowly. I looked down again to see his second finger joining the first, scissoring him for me. Once or twice my eye caught the pink flesh inside as he stretched himself to his limit. He was panting heavily now, his erection hard and ready again.

He slowly pulled out and waved for me. I scooted closer, realizing that I was holding both my breath and my cock. I dumped the rest of the melting butter on my shaft, the cool making me shiver. When I was sure that my entire length was covered, I guided it to the gaping hole. Our eyes locked again, him pulling his legs as high as possible.

No signal was needed. I slowly entered him. I could feel the barbs grazing his inside, and from the sight of his mouth fell agape, Leonardo was on the border of pain and pleasure. The primal instinct to thrust, to bite and pin him there surged through me, but I quelled it with all my will. Instead, I braced myself over him, inching in as he relaxed his muscle against my intrusion.

Suddenly, my lower stomach bumped into his plastron. I was in, all the way in, and our cries of pleasure intertwined with each other into the air...

 _..._

 _Curse them! Curse them all! Forget waiting, I'd drag that cub to the Shredder the moment I got my hand on him, then I'd hang all their shell on my wall as trophies. Without him to lead, they definitely lost their edge, but I was not in my best to face them either. The brute one in red was extremely vicious without his brother. He wasted not the chance when another episode hit me. Not only did he manage to destroy my jet pack, he also made my injured shoulder dislocated again, along with a few wounds. Worst of all, I still had his sai impaled on my back when I escaped. Even their rat sensei could not control him, how could that youngling lead that savage beast so well?_

 _It was sheer dumb luck that I returned alive at all. I was an assassin, so this situation had become the norm for me, yet..._

 _I pressed on the combination to unlock the door of my hideout. Perhaps I should consider Oroku Saki's offer to live in the Foot headquarter, where at least I could sacrifice my privacy for some protection. I was alone here, and with these injures I could not treat myself. Unless..._

 _Dragging my feet toward the bed, I opened the cell holding the turtle, didn't forget to strip myself from my weapons. This would be a risky gamble, but my guts told me that there'd be light at the end of the tunnel. The stairs only added to my agony, and after I swung the bars opened, everything faded into darkness..._

 _I came to in the cell. The dulled pain behind reminded me of what happened, and I snapped up to discover my body bandaged, the arm set back in place with a new sling. Leonardo was sitting by my side, poking the sai of his brother's to the shackle. My movement snapped his concentration, and he immediately pointed it at my throat._

 _"I told you my family will be after you." He said flatly._

 _"I am aware of that." I slowly sat up, pushing the tip of his weapon back, and he let me "But they thought that you were captured by the Foot, not me. As long as I can elude them, you are going nowhere."_

 _"You're letting me holding a weapon at your throat." He pressed the sai back to my neck "One move is all it takes for me to get rid of you."_

 _"Allow me to repeat your words: You will not kill me." I smirked. Seeing his baffled expression was somehow gratifying "You would not taint your hands with another's life. Besides, what's the point of bandaging me up just to kill me later?"_

 _That got to him. He lowered the sai in defeat. Of all the odds, I was stuck with a fairly docile of them four. I suppose I should be grateful that the youngling was so naive. I stumbled to my feet, staggering out of the cell. Moments later, I had his full attention when I came back with a blanket in my hand._

 _"What the...?" He trailed off, could not finish his own question, his widening eyes looked up to meet mine. Cute._

 _"I have yet the time to install a heater, so this will have to do." I adverted my gaze from him. Did I just think that he's cute? "If it wasn't for your brothers injuring me, my blood would not stain it in the first place."_

 _He did not ask any further, accepting the blanket with a knowing smile. Wrapping it around his body, Leonardo took a deep inhale. The smell of my sweat of blood was no doubt unpleasant, but he complained not. I sat down across from him, putting a food tray between us._

 _"Eat. You will need your strength back if you still wish to break free from here."_

 _I munched on my meal, observing him taking in the sight of the cooked slice of meat and the glass of milk. The youngling looked up at me, a genuine smile spread on his face._

 _"I knew you weren't a total bad guy." He picked up the meat "Thank you, Tiger Claw."_

 _"... Takeru." I blurted out._

 _"What?"_

 _"My real name is Takeru." I repeated, did not look him in the eye._

 _"Well then, thank you, Takeru... -san."_

 _We ate in silent after that. But from then on, the next conversation lasted longer than the previous, and little did we know, they led us to the next page of our lives..._

 _..._

It was hard to control my animal side when my head was fogged. He was clamping so tight around me, I thought I would burst any moment. All intent to savor the moment melted in the heat of our arousal. My claws scraped along the turtle's shell to pull him close, while I drove into him with everything I had. The fur on my belly was soaked with pre-cum dripping from Leonardo's throbbing cock. Long as my erection was, I knew I hit his spot every time I pounded in. His frantic gasps drove me to my edge, as I did him. Our names echoed through the cell at we shot our loads at the same time. I would never forget this moment when he grabbed a handful of my fur to pull himself close, his semen splattered our front, while mine filled his inside to the brim.

The youngling and I basked in the afterglow, with him cradled against my messy chest. I hardly recognized the border of things anymore. Leonardo was everywhere: in the air, on my fur, in my belly and my heart. He enveloped me with his aura, shielding me from my nightmares, and together we drifted to slumber, with me knowing that he'd be here the next time I opened my eye...

A violent shook jerked us both. I instinctively wrapped my arms around my precious turtle. Another one came with a loud boom from above. I rolled off of him and into my cloth with record time.

"What's going on?" He wobbled toward me when the earth shook for the third time.

"I don't know. Come! It is not safe here!"

He was still not well enough to be on both his feet, so I scooped him up and darted upstairs. My entire home was in disarray, with debris crumbling down in large chunks. Dropping him on the couch next to my weapons, I opened a hidden closet on the wall, pulling out his brother's sai, neatly preserved, and handed to him.

"TIGER CLAW!" A voice vibrated through the wall into my ears "HOW DARED YOU BETRAY ME?"

The Shredder! I looked at Leonardo and saw my shock reflected back. Another tremor snapped us both from our stupor. I snatched him back in my arm, just in time a chunk fell on the couch.

"Do not worry. I will not let them harm you." I put a quick kiss to his forehead.

"But... but..."

Reeling the gun, I pointed it upward and blasted a hole to my ceiling. I only hoped the remaining fuel in the jet pack would be enough for me to deliver him to safety...

 _..._

 _"You have something to do with Leonardo missing, don't you?"_

 _I slowly turned around to face Oroku Saki's former daughter. She was the only proof that there's still some humanity left in the Shredder. Imprisoned, yet she's not tortured nor ill fed, and she hadn't been used to force Splinter out of hiding. I leaned on the bars, my lips barely parted in a whisper:_

 _"What tipped you off, girl?"_

 _"Xever and Bradford. I overheard them babbling about the turtle in blue gone MIA after your skirmish with him. He hasn't shown up ever since. Did you kill him?"_

 _Her question revealed no emotion, as if she half expected me did not, while the other half looked for the opposite. Despite knowing the truth about her origin, she still owned her life to the Shredder. There's no telling if she'd sell me and the cub out for her position alongside him once more. I huffed:_

 _"That is none of your business. Why should you care?"_

 _"I'm his sister." She hissed "Take it however you like, but I am. And I won't let anyone hurt my brothers. Although..."_

 _She narrowed her eyes at me. The calculative look she's giving me was getting under my skin._

 _"I don't think you're the type that would kill and stay quiet about it."_

 _My hand shot through the bars to encircle her neck even before my brain could register. I pulled our faces close:_

 _"What are you implying... Miwa?"_

 _"Oh please, drop the act." She struggled with her throat "I can sense how your ki changed recently. Something must have happened. Tell me, or at least free me. I can help."_

 _I released her in a heartbeat, but nothing more. The Shredder trusted my loyalty, and I preferred it to stay that way. Letting another in the know might compromise everything. However, her word did ring some truth in it._

 _"He is with me. That's all you need to know." My voice's barely a whisper "Breath a word to anyone, and one of you will die. I will come back for you if a chance presents itself."_

 _..._

We flew through the roof to a whole battalion lying in wait. Foot bots swarmed both the surface and the air. From the corner of my eye, Oroku Saki and his minions appeared.

"Bring me their heads!"

Bradford, Xever leaped from the ground, but they did not concern me for obvious reason. All I needed to avoid was Stockman and the flying droids. I simply blasted my way through, wondered if any of them ever thought about projectile weapons. An arrow and three canine claws shooting past me confirmed it. Then, to my surprise, two green shadows surrounded me to fend off the attack.

"Holy cat!" The turtle in orange whistled. "Karai did tell the truth."

"Guys?" Leonardo gasped "What are you doing here?

"Long story. We'll fill you in on the way." The purple clad one said. "Now DUCK!"

All of us dove for the ground to avoid more air assault. They led me to their vehicle. The moment we settled inside, the purple one jumped to the wheel and floored the pedal.

"I knew you wouldn't hurt him." Miwa rushed to us, and I could have sworn I saw a smirk on her face.

"Ka-Miwa?" Leo climbed out of my arms "What's going on here?"

"First thing first."

I barely registered the red one's only warning before he punched his brother, my Leonardo, square in the face. Reflex kicked right in, I shoved him aside as he raised his hand again.

"Ow! What's the deal, Raph?"

"What's the deal? We thought the Foot got ya, so we busted into their headquarter ta hear Shred-head's princess here telling us the big cat did. Fishface ratted us out, Tin-teeth called his entire army, and we had ta haul our shell here ta save ya, finding ya snuggling up with him, and ya ask me WHAT'S THE FUCKING DEAL?" He bellowed. Paused a second to sniff in the air, he grimaced "Did ya two just screw each other?"

"What? Ew!" The orange one stuck his tongue out.

"GUYS! We have company!"

The purple one's word cut our argument off, and I had to thank him for that. Several dots indicating our enemies blinked on his monitoring screen, showing us that we're surrounded. I leaped for the roof window, but the red one caught my ankle:

"Not so fast, tiger. What do ya think yer doing?"

"Making an escape path, what else?" I growled, my patience wearing thin "With those bots swarming around, we're simply moving targets if we don't fight back."

Did not wait for his next word, I climbed out and lifted both my guns, at the same time the canon on the roof also activated, with Leonardo sitting behind the control.

"I'll talk to master Splinter about us. Right now just focus to get out of here. Ready?"

A curt nod from me was all he needed, and we both fired. The flying Foot bots scrambled out of the canon's trajectory, while those running on the roofs dove for cover from my guns. I looked down to see Shredder and his henchmen on a truck right behind us, Bradford relentlessly throwing his claws toward our tires.

"Mikey, the manhole cover launcher! Take Razah out! Raph, The Stealth Bike! Fishface coming from 3 o'clock! Miwa, navigate! Tiger Claw, watch out for Baxter-fly!"

His rapid-fire orders were carried out without hesitation. I swept my eye over the dark sky for the insect man among the bots, seeing another canon and a black bike emerged from the van. Despite how dire this was, I felt my pride swell inside me. My cub had every quality needed to be a leader at his tender age, no matter how naive he would be from time to time. Seeing how his brother and he aimed for the truck, I almost believed that we could make our escape...

... Until a Kraang cannon lifted at the Shredder's command.

"HARD RIGHT!"

Leonardo barely finished when the weapon fired. If it wasn't for my claws, I would be thrown off the van as it veered sharply on its wheels, tilting dangerously with momentum. Stockman and Xever took the chance to lunged for us, but before any of them got closer, I already blasted the fly away, and a shadow flanked the fish from the side. I had to skid back a few steps to avoid being crushed by the black bike as it landed on the van's roof.

"Watch where ya aim those guns, fur ball!" The bike's cover lifted for an angry turtle in red climbing out.

"INCOMING!"

A harpoon shot from the struck and pierced the back of the van. We were jerked forward, the red cub slid on the roof. I reached my hand for him, but he refused and stabbed his sai down to hold himself in place. I had no time to dwell on it, since Bradford was already on us. He took a swing at Leonardo, but the turtle spun on the control chair, the cannon's nuzzle swept at the dog's back. The red one wasted no chance, hitting his snout with the helmet. I finished by blasting him off our van, drawing my sword out to cut the rope. But then, the Kraang cannon lit up again, loading for another shot...

My claws did not grip the van soon enough this time. It reeled hard on the left, the shot taking out a large piece, and we all got flung into the air as it tipped over. I reached for Leonardo but he was too far away. The ground rose up to hit us hard. Around me, the four turtles and Miwa scattered on the asphalt, groaning in pain. Sounds of clanking metal drew our attention as the Shredder landed gracefully before us despite the impact of our vehicles.

From the stabbing feeling on my side, at least three of my ribs had broken, and I stood no chance against my former employer in this condition. He wanted my life, and the turtles would be next. I crawled backward from him, reaching for Leonardo and pulling him close, pointing my sword at the approaching figure.

"What is this?" He mocked "Are you protecting them now? How despicable..."

I held my breath, feeling the youngling shifted in my arm. I did not need to look to know that he's hurt badly, and if possible, my body would become his shield against this man.

Without warning, the Shredder leaped. My sword barely scratched the greave when his foot collided with my face. Stars exploded in my head as I flew, losing the weight I've been holding in my arm.

"I will use your skin for my new cape and their shells for my armor, traitor." He trotted toward me after I stopped rolling.

"Not if I have a say in it."

We both snapped our attention to the announcement. There he was, bloody and battered, yet Leonardo still struggling back to his feet, lifting my sword.

"This assassin betrayed me and hid you from your family." Shredder's face was covered by his helmet, but there's no doubt he was smirking "What guaranteed you he won't do it again?"

"That's not for you to decide." Leonardo gripped the weapon.

I could see the unyielding flame in his eyes, but there's no illusion about his strength. Covered in wounds with new overlapping old, the cub would not last for more than mere seconds, and I could not have that. I lunged for the Shredder before any of them could react, baring fangs and claws. The armor full of blades proved to be a hindrance, but only when I wished to test my natural weapon against it.

"TAKERU!"

I heard my love shouting my name, but it was too late. Yanking the locks from the grenade chain on my chest strap, I activated the jet pack, taking flight. The Shredder did his best to break free from my grip, but I refused to let go. My blood rained from the sky thanked to all the blades, I did not even feel the fireball engulfing us both. Before darkness could consume me, a recent memory flashed before my eye, but not the nightmarish one in Dimension X...

 _..._

 _It was some times after we got closer. I returned with something aside from food for the youngling. He mentioned that his family enjoyed 'pizza gyoza' as much as its original version. I could not visit the blind man they used to come to, but I had my own connection. As I opened the door, I pictured his reaction when he saw the treat. Greeting me was a blade to my face had I not dodged in time. I kicked the shadow and flicked on the light. It was Leonardo, the foot chained to the shackle bleeding. His dusty katana gleamed in his shaking hands._

 _"What do you think you're doing, kid?" I growled, locking the door behind me._

 _"I'm returning to my family." He panted "I'm sorry, but you can't keep me from my family like this."_

 _"So, you've been fooling around with me all this time?" I narrowed my eye, taking a step forward._

 _"N... No! I haven't! It's just..."_

 _He could not finish his sentence, nor making his next move. I waited. I could see the war raged on within him. He was visibly shaking, being torn between his family and me. Part of me wished to let him go, but the need of him being close was stronger..._

 _I'm sorry, Leonardo. Forgive my selfishness..._

 _It was cruel coincidence that we both charged at the same time. I unsheathed my sword, he brought his katana down..._

 _The outcome was obvious. His weapon snapped in half under my force. I let him fall past me, did not bother when he snatched a dagger from my arsenal. He poised again, but this time, his devotion had wavered. I approached without hesitation. Even when I was within striking range, he still did not move. Leonardo lowered the dagger as I dropped the sword. I fell to my knees so could pull him close in my embrace. Here I was, a heartless assassin, brought to his knee by a child, who did not have it in him to wound me to free himself. He was just a kid, why did he have to fight me? We were both weak... so weak..._

 _..._

I woke up with the faint sewer stench drifting to my sense. I tried to sit up, but a furry hand held me.

"Rest. You took quite a blow."

I recognized that voice. It was Splinter. I opened my eye to see myself under a giant tree, light sunlight piercing through its leaves. My body was a wreck, but it was bandaged up properly by an expert hand.

"My sons had told me about what you have done. It was hard to believe, but the evidences on you both were solid. Even so, I have to ask: Are you in a relationship with Leonardo?"

The question struck me hard. Neither of us ever looked forward to this. It's either I set the youngling back to his family, or stayed as we had been for as long as we could. But then, was life ever that easy? I pushed to sit up, refusing his hand. This would be the maddest thing I had ever done.

"Yes, Hamato Yoshi." I lightly bowed as I kneeled before him "I am in a relationship with your son."

The rodent did not react to it. He simply stroke his beard, deep in thought.

"This is no trivial matter. For this discussion to go any further, do you think the rest of my family would be present?"

I had long since realized it, so of course I had no choice but to agree. I nodded.

"My sons! Miwa!" He called over his shoulder.

The shogi slid opened for a group of turtles and a girl tumbling over, no doubt had been eavesdropping. The one in red still glared at me and Miwa, and I could not blame him. If he wished to slice us both now, I would not be surprised either. They all kneeled on both our sides, but Leonardo chose a spot right next to me, daring a reassuring glance.

"Now, Takeru." The rat cleared his throat to draw our attention "You had given us a difficult time. You abducted my sons to force me out. You aided the Shredder in imprisoning my daughter. You took Leonardo away from us for a month. It was also you who healed his injuries, concealed him from the Shredder, helped him escape and even sacrifice yourself to save him. And now you have the guts to kneel before me and admit that you are in a relationship with him?"

His tone was flat, but I was no fool. The confined anger vibrated through every syllabus and even my fur stood on end just by listening to it. There's no turning back now, might as well take a leap of faith. I put both my paws in front of me, lowering my head so low it touched the tatami.

"I will not deny what I've done, for there were both sins and redemption. I kneel before you only to ask: Will you accept me to be with your son?"


End file.
